Guns in Bahamas.

[tonytrakovich]

I have read the threads about guns in the Bahamas. Declaration of guns and count of ammo. Does anyone know if you can shoot clays with a shotgun? You would obviously come back with less Ammo.

 

[Walter P]

Very good question Tony. I would check it out officially ahead of time. It might be a good idea to keep the fired shotgun shells on hand anyway to show that you didn't give any live ammo to any of the locals, which is one of their concerns.

Walt

 

[GCSI]

NO!.... Long background story, but definitely no.
Brett

 

[Walter P]

Brett, Sounds like you've had some experience with this. Would you be so kind as to enlighten us with a condensed version of your story...

Walt

 

[GCSI]

Fire gun.... go to jail, don't pass Go. Bahamas post Andrew on private island doing disaster related work, everyone on island employed by us (local population gone). Bahamian employees treated very well and considered a plum job. Gen Superintendant shot a few clays one evening, QUICK trip to Fox Hill, almost inconceivable the Bahamians were capable of reacting so quickly. Huge red tape getting him out of country. 25 years ago but can't imagine they are any less sensitive to the issue.

 

[Pascal]

The Bahamas are pretty laid back but break a rule and they ll throw the book at you.

In the last couple of years they ve been cracking down on a number of things from undeclared guns to people not clearing in or ignoring fisheries rule. They are also cracking down hard on boats chartering without a foreign charter license. Any of these infraction will result in an arrested vessel and a trip to Nassau...

Heck they re even seizing fruits or produce flown in

Before firing a single shell, I d really want to make sure it s legal and get it in writing

 

[krush]

use a potato gun.

 

[Walter P]

Wow... so no guns in the Bahamas, I guess they don't have any crime then.......

Walt

 

[tonytrakovich]

use a potato gun.

Declare the number of potatoes you bring?

 

[dcate]

Wow... so no guns in the Bahamas, I guess they don't have any crime then.......

Walt

Maybe the crime they do have is pushing the legislation.

 

[GCSI]

I always have a gun on boat when I visit the Bahamas, not a problem. Declare gun and exact number of rounds. Issues arise if you decide to use it.
Brett

 

[Dan Mapes]

We've been over with 4 weapons and quite bit of ammo. No issues.

You want to go to a foreign country, and pop off a mess of rounds like you are in your back yard with nothing but woods around you?

http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/imag...pelagicWatersandMaritimeJurisdictionAct_1.pdf

"(2) The passage of a foreign ship shall be deemed tobe prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of TheBahamas if, the ship while in the archipelagic waters orterritorial sea of The Bahamas, engages in any of thefollowing activities —(a) any threat or use of force against the sovereignty,territorial integrity or political independence ofThe Bahamas, or in any other manner in violationof the principles of international law;(b) any exercise or practice with weapons of anykind;"

In short, don't shoot clay pigeons or practice with the weapons at any time. I guess this includes rubber knives.


Don't shoot it unless you are defending your boat while you are on it. The perp may have to be on the boat as well. I was able to dig this up in their laws but I do not see a reference to using a weapon like a gun.

"109. The master of a vessel, or any person acting byhis order, may justify the use of any such force against anyperson on board the vessel as is necessary for suppressingany mutiny or disorder on board the vessel, whether amongofficers, seamen or passengers, whereby the safety of thevessel, or of any person therein or about to enter or quittingthe same, is likely to be endangered, or the master isthreatened to be subject to the commands of any otherperson; and may kill any person who is guilty of or abetssuch mutiny or disorder, if the safety of the vessel, or thepreservation of any person as aforesaid, cannot by anymeans be otherwise secured."

http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1873/1873-0015/PenalCode_1.pdf


Would I want to challenge the use of a gun over there? Nope. I'm no attorney but merely having ammo that is not properly declared will get you jail time.

 

[Pascal]

Wow... so no guns in the Bahamas, I guess they don't have any crime then.......

Walt

Yes you can bring guns and amnunition but using them is the problem

And no except for Nassau and Freeport there is no crime in the islands so there is really no need for guns but it s nice to know you can have them on board and notnhav to arrange storage stateside

 

[MikeP]

"Yes you can bring guns and amnunition but using them is the problem"

Thats true pretty much anywhere, I guess. I have often wondered, for example, if you can shoot clays off the back of a boat in The Chesapeake Bay. I have never checked into it because I'm not a clay shooter but just as a general question.

The whole "guns on board" thing is fraught with what seems to be a total conflicting bunch of laws everywhere...well, unless you are in Texas! I have been told in MD by different agencies that:

1. guns on board are NOT OK unless you are transporting them DIRECTLY to a gun shop or a shooting range , or a specific gun-related thing - same reg as transporting them in a "vehicle" because the boat is a vehicle. You can't legally stop anywhere enroute. IOW, you can't be coming back from the shooting range and stop to shop/eat lunch with the guns in the car. They have to be being transported directly home.

OR...

2. It's OK to have them on the boat because it's OK to have them at your home so if the boat is "your home" it's OK.

OR..

3. It's OK if the boat is "suitable as a home." As it was stated to me, it has to have "beds 'n heads" Obviously a 53 would meet this "requirement" but a center console, for example, would not.

If Mexican authorities inspect your vehicle when you cross into Mexico and find even a single expended cartridge case in your car/baggage, maybe from the last time you went target shooting, you go directly to prison. So it's important to be very aware of the actual regulations anywhere (state or country) you are carrying a gun...or happen to have an empty cartridge case.

OTOH, reading the regs may not be all that helpful. I have no idea what the REAL law is re a gun on board a boat in MD. I have read the actual regs and concluded that: Either 1 or 2, above is right, depending on how somebody - a judge, a law enforcement officer? - decides on any given day whether a boat is a home or a vehicle.

AND then...there is the issue of WHO is enforcing whatever laws. When we were boarded by the USCG for a random inspection near Oxford, MD two seasons ago, they didn't care at all if there were guns on board. But they did care about having a waste disposal plan!

BUT when we were boarded by local law enforcement in NY, the officer specifically asked if there were firearms on board. He didn't care about our waste disposal plan.

 

[Pascal]

USCG will usually ask if there are any weapons in board so they can secure them until they leave.

A couple of years ago, the captain of a 100+ boat was arrested in NJ because the owner had a gun on board. He had been boarded by USCG while on an evening harbor tour and had informed the USCG that there was a weapon. Apparently the USCG notified jersey state police who were waiting for them at the dock Charges were eventually dropped but not without having to post bail and spend a lot of $ on lawyers. It shows how hard it is to keep track of every jurisdiction requirements

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

It is definitely a matter of local jurisdiction. In SC, I could probably be jailed for not having guns onboard. I am a lifelong clay shooter, and I am planning a shoot off my cockpit this summer. My buddy who is near top of state police checked with DNR, local LE and CG contacts. Said the DNR guys would only be mad if not invited. No one could think of any problems as long as we were out of city limits (Charleston's boundaries reach across numerous rivers and ICW) and not too statutorily close to residences (common sense). And please don't eject empty hulls (read plastic) into the water not to mention plastic wads which, by the way, float. Having told me all that, his best advice was go three miles off because somebody is going to make a call.

Two more points. I've shot more than a million rounds over the span of my shooting career. I've seen a fair number of accidental discharges. None of these have resulted in any injury because the guns were always pointed down....

Lastly if I can take guns to the Bahamas but I can't use them, what'll I do about the Seagulls????

 

[GCSI]

Seagulls = Paintball Gun. Hitting them on the wing is more sporting. Also non lethal for those that are easily offended...
Brett

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Better use invisible ink

 

[krush]

If Mexican authorities inspect your vehicle when you cross into Mexico and find even a single expended cartridge case in your car/baggage, maybe from the last time you went target shooting, you go directly to prison. So it's important to be very aware of the actual regulations anywhere (state or country) you are carrying a gun...or happen to have an empty cartridge case.

Isn't is awesome how they return the favor to us treating their un-registered visitors (that sometimes vote, get benefits, and welfare) so well?


As for boating in the yank states...it's a shame that Maryland owns the Potomac and Chesapeake. Because that means one must follow their freedom hating gun laws. With that said, I think it's mostly handguns that are heavily "regulated" in yankland, so a nice home protection shotgun may be legal. Obviously, CHECK FIRST.


This yearly publication attempts to summarize the the laws in all states: http://www.gunlaws.com/travel.htm

 

[MikeP]

Per MD: "When an intruder breaks in and wakes homeowners in their bedrooms, the modified Maryland Castle Doctrine may protect the residents from criminal charges if they shoot the home invader(s) in self-defense. However, not all cases are clear-cut, and shooters could end up facing murder charges"

I love the "May Protect" part. IMO, "may protect" means "probably won't protect" you from murder charges.

In TX the only involvement law enforcement would have in the same situation is to help remove the intruder's body.